Ian McGinty

Ian McGinty (May 6, 1985 – June 8, 2023) was a writer, artist, animator, and designer whose warmth, generosity, and talent made him one of the most beloved figures in independent and licensed comics. Born in Annapolis, Maryland, McGinty studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design and built his career on all-ages and children's comics, bringing an exuberant, character-driven visual style to some of the most beloved animated properties of his generation — Adventure Time, Invader Zim, Bravest Warriors, Bee and PuppyCat, Steven Universe, and Rick and Morty. His creator-owned series Welcome to Showside was optioned for animation in 2015, with McGinty writing the pilot script, contributing to the art, and voicing the lead character.

Beyond the page, McGinty was known throughout the industry for his extraordinary kindness — reaching out to shy convention attendees, offering sketches and encouragement, giving younger artists their first professional opportunities. He was 38 years old when he died of natural causes. His death provoked an outpouring of grief from the comics community that quickly became the #ComicsBrokeMe movement — a wave of public testimony about the exploitative pay rates, unsustainable workload, and structural precarity that independent and freelance comic creators routinely endure. Ian McGinty's passing forced an industry conversation that was long overdue.